John Goff (from left), VP of Goff Brothers Construction Company, Housing Assistance Director of Housing Production and Maintenance Keith Trott, Housing Assistance CEO Alisa Magnotta, and Mark Mathison take a break from a project in which they helped repair the roof of a home in Orleans.
Housing Assistance’s 12th Annual Big Fix is returning on Saturday, October 2nd. Once again, this year will be different than past years when 300 plus people gathered in-person for large group projects, which is not safe due to COVID concerns. However, the agency is still poised to support residents who want to help their neighbors.
Like last year, Housing Assistance is encouraging people to create their own opportunities to safely help a neighbor. By registering for the event, volunteer teams can receive an event day T-shirt, share photos and stories from their activity, and get connected with others doing Big Fix service. Volunteers might ask a neighbor if they need help with raking or shrub trimming, or they could organize a clean-up of a local beach, park, or playground in their own neighborhood. Volunteer projects can happen on the day of the event or in the weeks and days leading up to it.
Businesses can also sponsor the Big Fix and people can donate to this year’s event with funds raised going directly to support Housing Assistance’s programs which prevent homelessness, stabilize housing, and empower households on Cape Cod and the Islands.
“This year’s Big Fix is a reminder that there are more people than ever struggling on Cape Cod. Each of us can do something small, whether it’s landscaping or cleaning up trash, for a neighbor that can stabilize their living situation and make a big difference in their life,” said Housing Assistance Chief Development Officer Anne Van Vleck. “We look forward to seeing the creative ways that our community comes together to give back and help others in need.”
The pandemic threw off last year’s in-person Big Fix plans in Orleans, but Housing Assistance and some generous local builders are completing critical repairs on four houses in Orleans, whose homeowners had applied for the 2020 Big Fix. Housing Assistance will be sharing stories and outcomes from those homes over the next few weeks.
BelCape Construction of Brewster, Cape Associates of Eastham, Goff Construction Company of Orleans, Graham Construction LLC of Hyannis, Moss Home Minders of Orleans, Nauset Disposal of Orleans, Parker Homes of Orleans, and SVS Masonry of Dennis, have donated their time and talents to these projects which have included extensive landscaping, repairing an entire roof, removing a deck, and replacing railings, storm doors, and window sills.
Orleans Select Board Member Mark Mathison (front) and Brendon Parker of Parker Homes volunteering their time to repair the roof of a home in Orleans that had deteriorated.
Orleans Select Board Member Mark Mathison worked with Goff Brothers Construction to organize one of those projects in which volunteers repaired a roof which had deteriorated. “When Orleans was going to be the town for 2020 for the Big Fix, I said, ‘I have the project for you. This should be the first thing we do in town to help this woman put a new roof on her house,’” Mathison said earlier this month when the roof was being replaced. “It just shows you the power of people in the community to help each other. That is what these volunteers are doing.”
On October 2nd, volunteers will come together to landscape and beautify the grounds of Housing Assistance’s Carriage House shelter in North Falmouth as well as its Village at Cataumet shelter in Bourne. Additional in-person work will be done on an affordable, deed-restricted duplex in Dennis.
Housing Assistance has reached capacity for these few projects, but encourages people to sign up to volunteer in their own neighborhoods or to make a donation to help those who need housing by clicking this link. Anyone who volunteers as a Big Fix Neighbor will receive a free Big Fix T-shirt and will have the opportunity to share their photos and stories through Housing Assistance social networks.
Businesses interested in sponsoring this year’s Big Fix should contact Deanna Bussiere at dbussiere@haconcapecod.org or at 508-771-5400, ext. 270.
Current event sponsors include Cape Light Compact; Cape Cod Insulation; Cove Road Real Estate; Crane Corporation; John C. Ricotta & Associates, Inc.; Hyannis Honda; Pine Harbor Wood Products; BelCape Construction; Cape Associates; Goff Brothers Construction Company; Graham Construction LLC; Mid-Cape Home Centers; Moss Home Minders; Nauset Disposal; Parker Homes; and SVS Masonry as well as Housing Assistance’s 2021 Annual Corporate Sponsors, Cape Cod Five Foundation; Shepley Wood Products Inc.; Bayside Building, Inc.; Cape Save; Dellbrook|JKS; Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation; Sullivan & Sullivan Auctioneers; the William & Linda Zammer Foundation; Chatham Wayside Inn; First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union; Mid-Cape Home Centers; The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod; Princi Mills Law PC; RogersGray; Ira Toyota of Hyannis; and TrimBoard.
